text:
Rick Collup and his Reno Academy of Combat is holding a Mixed Martial Arts event on February 7th. Some of the proceeds go to the Children's Cabinet.
The event will be held at the gym on Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketalternantive.com.
Tickets are $25, $30 and $40 apiece. You can get a discount by buying tickets before the day of the event.


text:
With the launch of Amazon’s Halo, a health-focussed wearable, the first-party-data-fuelled company is setting up to disrupt healthcare – but the early steps it is taking with its new product reveal key lessons about the company.
This week, Amazon Halo's Principal Medical Officer Dr. Maulik Majmudar gave an interview to the tech site Protocol, in which he indicated the product’s next steps.
Though still in the early-access phase, Amazon’s Halo made waves when it was announced in late August. But as WARC posited at the time, what is most likely to define the device’s success is less about the what and more about how Amazon intends to do it. Here’s more about that how.
“Whenever we think about entering a new category at Amazon, there are two key questions we always ask ourselves. First and foremost: Does this matter to customers? Is there an unmet customer need here? And the second is: Can we as Amazon meaningfully differentiate and add innovation and value of the customer experience in the space?” Dr. Majmudar explained.
Amazon’s involvement, he suggests, stems from the seeming ineffectiveness of digital health services and devices, which over the last decade have failed to make any meaningful changes to the health of the population.
The company’s potency is twofold: few other firms boast the expertise and infrastructure in AI to meaningfully compete on that level. The other angle is its thoughtfulness, he says, with a product aimed not only on physical activity but on the social and emotional aspects of healthcare.
An enterprise offer
While the initial idea for the Halo device has surrounded individual memberships, it is enterprise customers that point a way to the broad adoption that the company needs. “There's incredible value in those enterprise customers; we will just see as we launch and go to [general availability] how we can have dialogues with those types of customers to make sure we can deploy Halo within those enterprises.”
But what for? “Whether it be employers who are prioritizing the employee health and wellness, whether it be hospitals or insurance companies [that] want to optimize their members' health and wellness,” Dr Majmudar suggests. While the device is certainly not diagnostic, it indicates a value at a broader level: of monitoring and maintaining either a workforce or customer base.
Third-party data sharing
This is a really hot aspect of the device, because it could prove to be Halo’s greatest success in a US healthcare world where more accurate data could save you thousands of dollars a year, but also presents big risks.
Majmudar explains that you don’t just sign carte blanche to partner firms (Cerner and WW are among initial partners). “We surface to customers specifically which individual data points will be shared, and we don't share all of them by design.”
“[For] Cerner, it was only body fat percentage, nothing else. For WW, it was [the] activity score. … Beyond that, customers can request to delete the data at any point in time.”
Now that the product has been announced, Dr. Majmudar says, the focus in on understanding what “aspects of the product and the service customers really engage with and doubling down there. The other one is, what are the features they're looking for that we may have overlooked or incorrectly assumed customers are not interested in”.
It all hinges on engagement now. Membership is crucial: “One of the critical reasons we did that is that it actually makes us accountable to deliver value. Traditionally, you buy a device, you paid for it, and it's all done. But if [we] don't deliver value — as Amazon, as Halo — customers will stop purchasing the memberships.”
Sourced from Protocol, WARC

domain: news


text:
As I mentioned in a previous post, corporate tax receipts have recently appeared relatively weak: in each of the past five months, payments of corporate receipts have experienced notable year-over-year declines. December may turn out to reverse that trend, however, and December is a relatively important month for corporate receipts.
For most corporations, the fourth quarterly payment of estimated taxes was due on December 17. (Most corporations pay their estimated taxes in April, June, September, and December.) Over the last three business days, including the day that corporate estimated tax payments were due, corporate income tax payments to the federal government amounted to $82.3 billion, compared to $79.4 billion on comparable days last year. (See here for the underlying data.) So far this month, gross corporate tax receipts are running slightly ahead of last year. Corporate refunds this month have also been running ahead of those seen last December, but those are much smaller than receipts.


text:
Maccies is changing the game when it comes to their menu
There is nothing quite like a McDonald’s. From their golden nuggets to their icy Diet Cokes, when the cravings hit, nothing else will hit the spot.
However, the fast food outlet have recently announced that they plan on making some changes to their menu.
Don’t worry, though, as they promise that these changes will make the experience of eating a Big Mac even better.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the outlet are planning a major overhaul of how they cook their burgers.
“We can do it quick, fast and safe, but it doesn’t necessarily taste great. So, we want to incorporate quality into where we’re at,” McDonald’s senior director of global menu strategy Chris Young said.
The changes are set to include less burgers on the grill at one time, meaning the patties should stay juicier, as well as introducing brioche buns with a thicker bottom.
Another change involves keeping lettuce and pickles in smaller containers, so that they get refreshed more often throughout the day.
The outlet is also planning on giving our beloved Big Macs more sauce, ensuring sesame seeds are more evenly distributed on buns, and rehydrating onions after purchase to ensure maximum moisture.
Additionally, they are set to keep cheese out of the fridge for longer before placing it on their burgers to make sure we get maximum melt and gooeyness.


text:
Walgreens CEO Stefano Pessina is stepping down after five years at the helm of the Deerfield-based drugstore chain.
The board will begin a search for a new CEO “to transform the business for the future,” the company said in a news release Monday. Pessina, 79, will be elevated to executive chairman when his successor is hired.
James Skinner, the former McDonald’s CEO who serves as chairman at Walgreens, will remain on the board “to facilitate a smooth transition.”
Pessina told board members in a letter dated July 23 that he has thought about stepping down “for some time, but for the reasons the Board knows, the time was not right to do so.”
In the letter, he said he thought now was the right time to find a successor.
The move comes after Walgreens was mentioned in a federal subpoena issued earlier this month by prosecutors conducting a lobbying investigation into Illinois Speaker Michael Madigan. Like ComEd, Walgreens’ lobbyist lineup at one point had a link to Madigan in the form of Mike McClain, a close associate of the speaker whom prosecutors have looked at in connection with an alleged years-long bribery scheme involving ComEd.
Walgreens earlier declined to comment after the Tribune asked a series of questions about whether federal authorities had contacted the company. Walgreens spokesman Morry Smulevitz said Monday the timing of Pessina’s departure was unrelated to the lobbying investigation.
While Walgreens stores have remained open as essential businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, the company has seen a dramatic drop in store traffic and pharmacy volume worldwide.
Earlier this month, Walgreens reported it lost more than $1.7 billion during the fiscal third quarter, which ended in May. Pessina attributed much of the loss to “stay-at-home orders” during the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affecting retail sales.
The chain also announced that it will squeeze primary care clinics into as many as 700 of its U.S. stores over the next few years in a bid to play a greater role in managing customer health.
Last year, Walgreens announced a plan to slash at least $1.8 billion a year in costs by 2022, including corporate jobs cuts and additional restructuring in the face of changing retail pharmacy dynamics. This month, the company upped the cost-cutting target to $2 billion annually.
Looking to increase store traffic, Walgreens shifted its retail focus to emphasize its beauty products, among other offerings.
An Italian-born billionaire, Pessina was installed as interim CEO in January 2015 after Walgreens completed its acquisition of Alliance Boots, a Switzerland-based pharmacy retailer. Pessina had been executive chairman of Alliance Boots.
Pessina was named CEO of Walgreens in July 2015, overseeing the integration of the giant pharmacy chains. Walgreens has more than 18,750 stores internationally, including 9,200 stores in the U.S. The company employs 440,000 people worldwide, and last year generated nearly $137 billion in sales.
Associated Press contributed.


text:
The latest survey data in August showed China's manufacturing operations slowed at the sharpest pace in more than six years, with both total new business and new export orders falling faster than in July, leading to the biggest contraction in output since November 2011. Production demand has declined, and companies have reduced purchases accordingly, and the number of purchases has recorded the most significant decline since March 2009. Weak customer demand led to a backlog of finished goods inventories for the first time in six months. At the same time, weaker demand also caused a sharp drop in input costs and output prices during the month. As a comprehensive indicator that summarizes the economic performance of the manufacturing industry with a single value, the Caixin China General Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI?) in August (seasonally adjusted) recorded a value of 47.3, slightly higher than the previously released initial value (47.1), but lower than July (47.8), and below the 50.0 threshold for the sixth consecutive month, and this month's manufacturing slowdown is the most significant since March 2009.
Data in August showed that the total number of new business received by China's manufacturing sector contracted for the second consecutive month and recorded the most significant contraction in 17 months. Respondents generally indicated that the deteriorating market conditions during the month led to weaker demand from customers at home and abroad. At the same time, the volume of new export business fell by the most in more than two years. Manufacturers scaled back production in August, with output contracting at the highest rate this month since November 2011, given weaker customer demand. A drop in production demand in August led manufacturers to further curb purchases, with the drop in purchases deepening from July and the most significant since March 2009. As a result, the purchase inventory fell during the month, but the decline was still small. Finished goods inventories, on the other hand, rose slightly in August, with many manufacturers reporting lower sales, resulting in a build-up of finished goods inventories.
In August, China's manufacturing sector shrank employment for 22 consecutive months, with the rate of labor contraction exceeding that of July and close to the 76-month high set in June. The monthly backlog rose for the fourth straight month, but only slightly. In August, the overall input cost of China's manufacturing industry fell further, and many interviewed manufacturers said the reason was related to the decline in raw material costs. Although the decline in input prices has slowed down compared with July, it is still considerable overall. In line with the trend of cost burden, the ex-factory prices of manufactured products also fell in August, and the current round of price reductions has continued for 13 months. The survey shows that the interviewed manufacturers pass on the reduction of input costs to customers by cutting prices, and also to attract new business.
In August, the Caixin China Composite PMI? data (including manufacturing and services) showed a renewed slowdown in China's total economic activity, with the Caixin Composite Output Index falling to 48.8 from 50.2 in July, below the 50.0 threshold , although the contraction rate is still small, it has hit the most significant output contraction rate since February 2009. In August, overall output contracted again, mainly due to the accelerated contraction in manufacturing production, which recorded the largest decline in 45 months during the month. At the same time, the growth rate of business activities in the service industry has slowed down, which also dragged down the composite index. The Caixin China General Services Business Activity Index recorded 51.5 in August, down from 53.8 in July and the lowest growth rate recorded in this 13-month expansion.
Total new orders in the services sector also showed signs of slowing in August, with new business growing at the slowest pace in more than a year this month. The survey shows that recent market conditions have been relatively weak, affecting customer demand. Meanwhile, new orders in the manufacturing sector continued to contract this month, at an intensifying rate that was the most significant in 17 months. Combining the two, total new business declined for the first time since April 2014, albeit slightly. In August, the growth rate of business activities and new orders slowed down, which led to a reduction in the employment growth rate of service industry companies. During the current two-year employment expansion period, the growth rate this month was the weakest, only slightly. Manufacturing employment continued to contract, with the contraction rate slightly intensifying from the previous month. Therefore, the scale of comprehensive employment declined slightly for the third consecutive month.
Backlogs in the services sector fell for the seventh straight month in August, but the overall decline was modest. According to the interviewed companies, the growth rate of new business has slowed down, and companies have been able to clear the backlog of business. The backlog of work in the manufacturing sector rose, but the magnitude of the backlog remained slight overall. Taken together, the overall backlog of work has declined for the fifth consecutive month, but only slightly. In August, price trends in the manufacturing and services sectors continued to be mixed. Input costs for service companies continued to rise slightly, while manufacturing input costs fell markedly. The marked decline in the cost burden of manufacturing also led to a twelfth consecutive month of declines in aggregate input costs, a modest decline. In August, service-sector companies slightly raised their prices for the second consecutive month. In the manufacturing sector, by contrast, ex-factory prices fell by the most since January.


text:
The vehicle identification number (VIN) is composed of 17 characters (digits and capital letters) that act as a unique identifier for the vehicle. A VIN displays the car's unique features, specifications and manufacturer.
The VIN can be found in a couple of places including on the car's registration label (1), on the compliance plate in the engine bay (2) or on the passenger side windshield (3), or on one of the door posts (where the door latches when it is closed) (4). See the image below:
A Today Tonight investigation has uncovered a major car selling scam, with thousands of cars having their odometers wound back to increase the sale value.
Cars are being sold at $10,000 to $20,000 more than they're worth
This scam is being now investigated by police and Government.
The investigation centres around a number of dealerships in Sydney, knowingly selling dodgy cars to unsuspecting consumer without giving them the full history.
One story in the investigation is that of Michele and David, who almost bought what turned out to be a dodgy Mitsubishi Grandis. Luckily they took the initiative to visit CarHistory to run some checks for themselves. The report stated that the vehicle was a repairable write-off, something which the salesman did not disclose.
Michele and David managed to get their deposit back on the car, and the dealership promised to return the car to it's previous owner. However it has remained for sale.


text:
Royal Audi makes £32k
An Audi Cabriolet that was regularly driven by Diana, Princess of Wales, has sold at auction for £32,000.
Diana drove the 1994 Audi Cabriolet – which just missed its lower estimate of £35,000 at Coys’ Blenheim Palace sale on 15 July – after London main dealer, Dovercourt Audi of St Johns Wood, loaned it to her.
The Audi is still on its original registration number and has been kept in storage for the last eight years. The vendor bought it in 2004 and used it every day, before realising its importance and putting it into storage.
Another 1994 Audi Cabriolet – this one a car that the princess actually owned – sold at last year’s Silverstone Auctions NEC Classic Motor Show sale for £54,000.


text:
The Rising Costs Of Milk Wall Street Journal
Get The Wall Street Journal’s Opinion columnists, editorials, op-eds, letters to the editor, and book and arts reviews.
May 15, 2017. 4 The Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 further increased sugar price support levels.3 President Reagan reintroduced country-by-country import quotas in an. In May 2016, The Wall Street Journal reported a collective 16.5% increase in soda sales since 2015 for Coca-Cola's 2 major Mexican bottling.
Oct 17, 2011. They took the credit-card machine to the curb so passing motorists could buy pizza right off the street. They loaded up a truck with hot pizzas and sold them at high-school games. The money poured in and the store owner never had problems with employee turnover, says Covey, who is based in Salt Lake.
Payday Loans Apply Over The Phone After decades of operating as wardens of modern-day debtors’ prisons, the reign of payday lenders may soon be over. After decades of operating as wardens of modern-day debtors’ prisons, the reign of payday lenders may soon be. Limits on fees and interest for loans are combined with requirements giving borrowers at least 120 days to repay in at least four
Nov 08, 2010 · On her Facebook wall, Sarah Palin shreds WSJ. I read the Wall Street Journal. Packagers and Supermarkets Pressured to Pass Along Rising Costs…
To receive the LARB Quarterly Journal, become a member or donate here. A small square of sun hovered on the near wall. Dan Graves rubbed his hands.
Suit Accuses Supermarkets Of Cooking Egg Prices. By JESS BRAVIN. Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. SANTA MONICA — Walk into an independently owned 7-Eleven store in and around this sunny beach town and you'll find that the price of a dozen large white eggs ranges from $1.59 to $1.99. But at local.
Jan 08, 2018 · MSN Money is the hub for your financial life. Be informed and ahead with our real-time stock quotes, deep tools and calculators, and breaking news and.
And when the Rapid City milk processing plant closed that year, it put even more pressure on the remaining, struggling dairies – hammered by the rising cost of doing business. "We’ve seen the writing on the wall," Dunn said. Bernie.
Even in states where raw milk can only be sold via private arrangements, known as cowshares or herdshares, like Michigan and Ohio, the number of dairies getting into raw milk is understood to be rising. among others. A Wall.
The high cost of prescription drugs has been causing pain and hardships. the overall inflation rate was just 1% in the U.S. According to data cited by the Wall Street Journal, while food and alcohol prices have risen 2.8%, and clothing.
The top fiction and nonfiction of the year, as chosen by The Wall Street Journal
Nov 19, 2011. But she has an insightful paragraph on management in her Wall Street Journal column on Friday: "There is an arresting. It's not just the salesmen. It's also the accountants and the money men who search the firm high and low to find new and ingenious ways to cut costs or even eliminate paying taxes.
The trend is one reason the city recently bumped up its cost projections for street projects funded through city’s. Some fluctuation is a normal part of economic supply and demand, said Jane Wall with the Washington Association of Cities.
Alison Gopnik The Wall Street Journal Columns. Mind & Matter, now once per month. Click on the title for a version (or on the date for The Wall Street Journal link)*
California dairy producers have voted in favor of a plan to retain their quota program if a federal milk marketing order is established for the state.
These types of distractions not only threaten your safety and the ones you love, but they also might be impacting your auto insurance costs — and at an alarming. According to Geoffrey Fowler of the Wall Street Journal, emergency.
The rising cost of education has ushered in an. The Wall Street Journal recently turned to PayScale’s. The Wall Street Journal Asks “Is Your Degree Is.
Amid the nationwide panic over the rising costs of public employee pensions. 2019, was praised by the Wall Street Journal as one that would "end defined-benefit pensions and save taxpayers billions of dollars." As it turns out, the.
As I crossed the Hindu Kush to cover the fighting for The Wall Street Journal, my journey took what looked like a fatal turn: the battered black pickup truck I had. seen since leaving home: peanut butter, pasteurized milk, and canned vegetables, all of which we found on Chicken Street, Kabul's version of a shopping district.
The rising costs of animal-source foods in Ethiopia: Evidence and implications. August 14, milk, eggs, and meat.
The Wall Street Journal is one of the most. The Economist vs. The Wall Street Journal. Decrease in advertisers and rising printing costs caused a.
. with cheese,” the Wall Street Journal reported. dairy-tariff wall. So-called ultra-filtered milk—made with a. Mother Jones is a.
You’re being asked to pay for something that costs a team of. How do I read the Wall Street Journal from. The New York Times" or "The Wall Street Journal" for.
As reported in a recent article in the Wall Street Journal. their supply and their costs, giving them a competitive advantage, said Dryer. Mike McCully, owner of dairy consulting firm The McCully Group, agreed. “The fluid milk case.
Noble Energy, a Houston-based oil and gas company, disclosed in April that former CEO Charles Davidson made 82 times more than the median employee, the Wall Street Journal reported. He did not specify the cost to the company to.
This may have financial benefits to our clients and shareholders as costs are.
Jan 5, 2018. A recent story from the Wall Street Journal pointed out that consumers who previously purchased organic milk are now buying alternative products like almond or soy “milk.” Thumbnail. Dairy Prices Rise as Dry Weather Crimps New Zealand Production. Jan 03, 2018 by Reuters. International milk prices.
The reason for the spilled milk is that the glut has cut the price of milk 22 percent since spring, to $16.39 per hundred pounds on Wednesday. At that price, some farmers can’t afford to truck the milk to market, according to the Wall.
Find the latest business news with reports on Wall Street, interest rates, banking, companies, and U.S. and world financial markets. Subscribe to the Business Story of the Day podcast.
BibMe Free Bibliography & Citation Maker – MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard
According to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. airlines are on track. most airlines are simultaneously struggling with narrowing profits, rising fuel costs and unsteady consumer demand, the Journal notes. Some suspect that carriers.
Sample Credit Report Equifax The Equifax. all three credit reporting agencies to do that. See below. In South Carolina, it’s free to place a freeze and also lift it (so don’t let anyone try to charge you). “A security freeze basically puts your credit report on lockdown. The credit reporting agencies collect information about you and store it in their databases. Equifax, Experian, and
Ask many college presidents why tuition costs keep rising and you’ll hear a litany of excuses. "This place was not built to be efficient," he told The Wall Street Journal. But "you’re not going to find many places where you just take a.
Shares of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment Inc. tumbled 9.7% in premarket trade Monday, after the restaurant and games venue operator cut its 2017 profit and sales outlook.
After Nevada hosts a gun show, California sees sharp rise in gun-related injuries and deaths. The New York Times (October 23, 2017). The Wall Street Journal ( September 12, 2017). How Medical Schools Can Better. Trump's HIV Foreign Aid Cuts Could Cost 9 Million Years of Lost Life. TIME Magazine (August 29, 2017).
Oct 28, 2016. Beverages with naturally occurring sugars, such as milk and many fruit juices, are not considered sugar sweetened beverages. Most taxes on sugar. The Wall Street Journal, May 3, 2016, http://www.wsj.com/articles/soda-sales-in-mexico- rise-despite-tax-1462267808.  “2016 People's Guide,” The.
Below, I have a list, pulled from public sources, that marks a first attempt here at Kotaku. The Wall Street Journal the budget for the company’s second multiplatform football game was about $15 million. Jak II – $15 million – Development.
Jun 22, 2016. The West German post-war recovery started in 1948, when Ludwig Erhard reformed the currency and removed the Nazi price and wage controls, which. of European Solidarity,” Wall Street Journal, February 15, 2012, http://www.wsj. com/articles/SB10001424052970204795304577222833332928436.
Get the latest news and analysis in the stock market today, including national and world stock market news, business news, financial news and more.
Starbucks Will Have to Raise Coffee Prices. As The Wall Street Journal recently. will have to boost prices to keep up with rising commodity costs,
Testimonials. Milk Delivery.And So Much More! What People Say About Hudson Milk Company -. You guys are the absolute best, hands down. I grew up on a farm in Minnesota and your milk tastes like back home. They say you can't go home again, but this comes close to those good old days! I also can't say enough.
The Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal’s trusted, reliable coverage and analysis of the day’s top business, economic and political events, behind the.
Fed up with the rising price of drugs, Ascension Health last month did. according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. Every provider — from big chains, such as Ascension and Creve Coeur-based SSM Health, to much smaller players,
Last month a Wall Street Journal editor asked a room full of CEOs to raise their. wage stagnation coupled with.
Organic milk sales are dropping, but sales of so-called plant-based milk are rising. The Wall Street Journal reports organic milk sales fell 2.5 percent in 2017,
This isn’t a sudden shift from milk to other drinks, reports the Wall Street Journal, but the decline in milk consumption. comes time to make a decision in the beverage aisle. Milk’s rising price doesn’t help things, either. The milk.
Find the latest business news on Wall Street, jobs and the economy, the housing market, personal finance and money investments and much more on ABC News
Sign up. Buy now. Learn more. None of these common call-to-action triggers will probably get you the desired result, because your target audience is more knowledgeable than ever before. If you want to learn how to write the perfect call- to-action that'll captivate your target audience, educate them and increase your.
Our stories have been followed by the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Bloomberg and other major outlets thousands of times. How we compete is simple. We recruit the best reporters, “The Information has turned out to be incredibly worth the price tag, if you're into tech news. Really solid stuff I look forward to.”.
Bond Mp3 Boston College Finance Faculty Beyond his regular responsibilities, he also co-led the Institute’s Task Force on the Budget in response to the 2008 financial crisis. He has played an active role as MIT’s faculty lead in. and Mary Baldwin College. Espich holds a. Ryan Murphy. O'Neil Center. Research Assistant Professor. PhD, Economics, Suffolk University, 2013. MS, Economics, Suffolk University, 2012.
Aug 23, 2016. The price has increased 450 percent since 2004, when a dose cost $100 in today's dollars, to its current price of more than $600. Many consumers. Amie Vialet De Montbel, for instance, found that the two 2-packs of EpiPens she needed for her son with a milk allergy would cost $1,212. “I don't even pay.
10901 W. 84th Terrace Suite 300 Lenexa, KS 66214. Close
Nov 29, 2016. The loans, in turn, increased the company's liabilities and, of course, cash. Such a tactic. Background. 1961: Calisto Tanzi founds Parmalat S.p.A. (Società per Azioni) in Italy as a small milk pasteurization plant. 2005: Parmalat is re-listed on the Milan exchange (Wall Street Journal, 3 October, 2005).


text:
Hasbro Plants 100,000 Trees in Partnership With One Tree Planted
Partnership helps replenish essential natural resources as Hasbro works to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
PAWTUCKET, R.I. — September 22, 2022 -- Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), a global play and entertainment company, today announced the company has completed planting 100,000 trees as part of a partnership with One Tree Planted, a non-profit organization focused on global reforestation. The trees were planted in four key regions across the globe including Brazil, the United States, India and Ireland, together helping global reforestation efforts.
Hasbro has a proven history of environmental stewardship, and the company and its employees care deeply about ensuring the health of our planet and communities. Planting trees provides many ecological benefits including improving air quality by absorbing and locking up harmful greenhouse gases, protecting and improving soil, preventing floods and improving water quality, and providing shelter and diet to wildlife. These benefits bring us one step closer to a healthier planet.
“At Hasbro, we are focused on using our business as a force for good and having a positive impact on the planet,” said Kathrin Belliveau, Chief Purpose Officer, Hasbro. “One Tree Planted is an impactful organization that plants trees to restore nature and biodiversity. We’re thrilled to have teamed up with them and completed planting 100,000 trees, replenishing vital natural resources used in many of our products and packaging. We view this partnership as a purposeful component of our overall strategy to tackle climate change.”
"We are excited to be working with Hasbro to plant trees in four key regions across the globe," said Ashley Lamontagne, Forest Campaign Manager at One Tree Planted "We admire Hasbro's commitment to creating a healthier, greener planet for all, and look forward to continuing to do great work together."
One Tree Planted is also engaging with Hasbro employees through the company’s Team Hasbro employee volunteer program, planting trees in Rhode Island where Hasbro’s global headquarters is located. Team Hasbro, the company’s best-in-class employee volunteer program, provides year-round, company-sponsored opportunities for employees to give back. Hasbro’s volunteerism rate worldwide is 92%.
To learn more about Hasbro’s CSR initiatives, visit https://csr.hasbro.com/en-us.
About One Tree Planted
One Tree Planted is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to make it simple for anyone to help the environment by planting trees. Their projects span the globe and are done in partnership with local communities and knowledgeable experts to create an impact for nature, people, and wildlife. Reforestation helps to rebuild forests after fires and floods, provide jobs for social impact, and restore biodiversity. Many projects have overlapping objectives, creating a combination of benefits that contribute to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. To learn more, visit onetreeplanted.org.
Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and entertainment company committed to making the world a better place for all children, fans and families. Hasbro delivers immersive brand experiences for global audiences through consumer products, including toys and games; entertainment through eOne, its independent studio; and gaming, led by the team at Wizards of the Coast, an award-winning developer of tabletop and digital games best known for fantasy franchises MAGIC: THE GATHERING and DUNGEONS & DRAGONS.
The Company’s unparalleled portfolio of approximately 1,500 brands includes MAGIC: THE GATHERING, NERF, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, BABY ALIVE, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, POWER RANGERS, PEPPA PIG and PJ MASKS, as well as premier partner brands. For the past decade, Hasbro has been consistently recognized for its corporate citizenship, including being named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media and one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute. Important business and brand updates are routinely shared on our Investor Relations website, Newsroom and social channels (@Hasbro on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn).


text:
Thanks to Sue P. for flagging this rather startling item – a miniature helicopter that can stream video directly to your Android device, the MeCam. The idea is to “point-and-shoot yourself”, videographically speaking (although it would also be a snooper’s delight).
Android Community has highlighted the voice-controlled mini-marvel that it says runs on a 1.5 GHz Cortex-A9 processor, has 1GB of RAM, supports micro-SD for storage, and uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for comms…
Always Innovating is the company behind the “nano copter” and while the device is nominally priced at $49, the company doesn’t do individual sales – it is looking for others to license it:
Though the MeCam is still in development, the device and its core module are available for licensing. It comes with an optimized hardware design and a fully Open Source software solution based on Linux. Always Innovating has also patented some of its innovations. Any licensing agreement comes with the Always Innovating IP umbrella.
Check it out (briefly) in the company promo video below.
" width="510" height="287" frameborder="0">


text:
FORT LAUDERDALE -- Port Everglades here exceeded its waterborne
commerce and revenue projections by 4% for the first half of fiscal
2004, which ran from October through March, and said its "highest
performance growth" came from the port's cruise sector.
The number of cruise passengers increased 29% during the first
half of the year, to about 2.5 million; meanwhile, cruise-related
revenues increased 26.5%, to $19.5 million, the port said.
The port said the addition of a new daily vessel, the St.
Tropez, and several new cruise ships like the Queen Mary 2, the
Oosterdam and the Caribbean Princess, helped fuel the growth. The
port also generated unanticipated revenue from the relocation of
seven cruise ships from Miami during the Free Trade Area of the
Americas summit in November.
To contact reporter Rebecca Tobin, send e-mail to [email protected].


text:
Local leaders have explained the reasoning behind the 9pm alcohol ban introduced for Nottinghamshire under tier 3 restrictions.
Under the new rules, which came into effect on Friday this week, shops across the county are now not permitted to sell alcohol after 9pm.
This is a measure which is specific to Nottinghamshire and has so far not been introduced for any other region under tier 3 restrictions.
So why was the ban introduced here and not elsewhere?
Alison Challenger, Director of Public Health for Nottingham City Council, explained the decision at a public health briefing on Friday, October 30.
She said: "What we've seen over recent weeks is, with the closure of pubs and bars at 10pm, that has led to a significant number of people leaving those pubs and bars all at the same time.
"That has led to crowds, it's led to queues, and we have seen people queue outside a lot of the off-licenses and retail premises to purchase alcohol.
"So this is something that we have seen happen quite a lot. Some of the reasons for this will be to go onto house parties to continue because there is a 10pm closure.
"So the idea behind bringing the time forward by an hour is to stagger the crowds and prevent that build up and if possible prevent that spontaneous purchase of alcohol that then goes on potentially to a house party."
Councillor Kay Cutts, leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, told Nottinghamshire Live the measure was also something police wanted to see implemented.
She said: "The 9pm ban on alcohol was something that the police wanted to see.
"In the springtime we had a lot of parties to the late or small hours of the morning, people getting together in public parks and drinking.
"What we feared might happen, what the police feared might happen, is that people would go to the pub, they'd have a meal and some drinks, they would come out and go straight to the shops and off licence to buy a bottle and go to continue partying elsewhere.
"We're trying to stop that. That is something that has been blighting a bit of Nottinghamshire, particularly the younger elements because of course younger people don't think they're ever going to catch anything.
"That's where it came from, and we have supported [the police] on that.
"There are those amongst them that said 10pm was a good time, but we thought 9pm was a better time because you could just nip out before 10pm to go to the off licence or supermarket."
Off licenses in Nottingham have criticised the decision, stating it will cost them up to £300 a day and will "not stop students having house parties".


text:
Harare, June 7, 2012: Zimbabwean youth entrepreneur, Limbikani Makani (31), is travelling to the United States for Barack Obama’s Innovation Summit and Mentoring Partnership for Young African Leaders. He says he is counting on Zim’s youth to take IT innovations to a new level.
“The achievement Zimbabwe has made in terms of human capital is immense. We have a youth that is capable of delivering on a global scale, but we also have a youth that has been disconnected from the world in terms of communicating or exchange of ideas…. The sooner we tap into it, the sooner we benefit,” says Makani, founder and managing editor of TechZim.
Makani sees himself as a true ambassador of that human capital and is focused on getting the most out of this program as he heads to Washington D.C. , where he will meet top U.S. government officials, IT experts, company executives and representatives of civil society organizations.
Makani is a true internet devotee. He speaks passionately, with youthful enthusiasm and an eager smile, about the infinite possibilities and opportunities available to Zimbabweans online. He also has an unbending faith in Zimbabwean online entrepreneurs and their power to change Zimbabwe. “The internet is so powerful,” he repeats, “And it is really pointless to try to block it – there are always ways around to get to what you’re trying to find. Because it’s the internet – the whole idea is we are all connected on it and you can find anything.”
Makani studied information technology and, in 2009, started TechZim, arguably Zimbabwe’s leading technology website featuring product reviews and local IT news. With 3,000 page views per day, TechZim has set its sights on building a culture of start-ups and innovation in Zimbabwe. “A lot of Zimbabweans see the internet as a product, not a platform,” he laments. “They think they are just an audience, but they need to see how much they can do and put on the web.”
Limbikani had never seen the internet until the day his boss at the Gweru shopping center where he worked after finishing high school, bought a PC and got a dial-up connection. It was 2001 and there were 500 million internet users worldwide – many in the U.S. but few in Africa. The search is what hooked him. “When I did my first search, I couldn’t believe how much I could find on the internet. I kept saying, ‘All this, I can get all this…,’ and I just kept looking up more things.”
Exploring the internet took Makani’s life from black and white to color in an instant. “My first time on the internet was a religious moment,” he says, smiling a deep, knowing smile and recalling intimately the experience. “Today, internet uptake in Zimbabwe is still slow but that ‘moment’ is happening now to a lot of people.”
On the U.S. tour, Limbikani is travelling with another youth entrepreneur, Simbarashe Mhungu (32), founder and executive director of Harvest Fresh, an agro-business concern in Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland West province. Makani sees synergies between the IT and other sectors, including agriculture. He observes, “A lot of applications can be solved from exchanging information, and agriculture is one such area…. Moving forward I see a lot of closer cooperation between the traditional economic sectors and ICTs in Zimbabwe.”


text:
February 13, 2022 at 2:13 a.m.
Adapting to industry changes
“Before COVID-19, we were so ill prepared,” said Culver, co-founder of Culver’s. “We were so fortunate to have the drive-thru. The lines were long; we are the slowest fast-food restaurant in the world and I’m proud of that. We were able to take care of our guests.”
Culver spoke of the disruptions in the food supply chain and the way consumers think about their food as part of a panel, “Supply chain crisis: What we learned and where we’re headed,” at the Dairy Strong conference in Madison Jan. 20.
Culver was joined by Chad Vincent, CEO of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, and Scott Sexton, CEO of Dairy.com.
After an initial drop in sales in March 2020 for the fast-food restaurant, the year ended with an increase in sales of 5% in 2020 and 18% in 2021, Culver said. There were also over 50 new restaurants opened in those two years, despite supply challenges.
“I am amazed that somehow or another, our suppliers had it pretty much taken care of,” Culver said.
The one food source the restaurant did not run short on was dairy.
“We were scared, and it’s a mess yet today,” Culver said. “But when it comes to the dairy products, we haven’t missed a beat. You guys have done a great job supporting us and the United States. You keep producing, and the trucks keep getting to our places.”
Along with supply chain disruptions for restaurants, American households developed purchasing and eating habits. Because of this, grocery stores saw an increase in dairy sales.
“When the chips were down, they went straight to dairy,” Vincent said of consumers. “To me, that warms the heart because we all know the power of dairy and how good it is. Sometimes people like to pick at that because there are competitors out there that want to try and portray us as anything less than wholesome, and great for you and great for the planet and great for the environment.”
Vincent said consumer preference has changed beyond the grocery store with people wanting to know exactly where their food comes from.
“There is a higher level of transparency that is not just requested but demanded by consumers,” Vincent said. “A young 12-year-old girl is like, ‘I like dairy, but I’m not sure if it’s good for the planet and I’m not sure if the animals are really happy.’ When I was 12, I was like, ‘Can I stay out past 7 p.m. and ride my bike?’”
“The younger the consumer is, the more they want to know about the companies providing their food,” Sexton said. “We all know what’s happening (on farms); we all know that that’s the truth. We are actually bringing farmers up to tell these stories because it is critical.”
Sexton also said companies will need to look at data to determine how to keep up with the changing demands.
“There are a slew of new technologies emerging, but we as an industry need to figure out how they all connect,” Vincent said. “I would focus on accelerating data and getting it into an open format where you can share. That is what’s going to be important to consumer preferences, and when these huge disruptions hit us, that you are agile and you can make changes quickly.”
Sexton said there is technology being used in the event of a recall to track a product from the store shelf back to the farm of origin in less than two hours.
However, the more pressing concern for food processors is available labor.
“We’ve got a restaurant here in town (Madison) that is advertising $20 an hour, and she could not get one single person to apply,” Culver said. “And that was just a crew member, not a manager or anything.”
All the panelists agreed the pandemic caused disruptions, but they have all learned things from it and feel better prepared for these changes going forward.
“We know bad things are going to happen to upset our industry that will upset the flow,” Vincent said. “Everybody I spoke to is a lot smarter today than they were a year ago.”
Sexton said there is good news for data in the future.
“Good news is there are a lot of digital systems today capturing and managing data,” he said. “I think a lot of what you will see is the openness of those systems and the connectivity of the data.”
Culver agreed that the pandemic has accelerated certain changes he thinks are good.
“We didn’t have online ordering or the ability to take tablets outside and take orders there. We were just way behind,” he said. “COVID-19 has pushed us to get those things in place. In many ways, it was good for us, but I still don’t want to go through it again.”
To Submit an Event Sign in first
No calendar events have been scheduled for today.


text:
Environmental Law and Regulation Society
Impact of Environmental, Social, and Governance Factors on Supply Chains
By Nikita Chan
In recent years, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors are becoming increasingly important to supply chain operations. As the implementation of sustainable practices becomes a priority, the question of on whom this burden should be shifted to arises.
On 10th March, the European Parliament adopted a legislative initiative report which calls for mandatory corporate environmental and human rights due diligence rules (1). The due diligence rules would oblige companies to identify, address and remedy aspects of their value chain that could or do infringe on human rights, the environment and good governance (2). According to rapporteur Lara Wolters, the rules would “hold companies liable for harm done to human rights and the environment in their supply chains” (3). The new law on corporate due diligence is not surprising as the European Union has previously imposed mandatory reporting requirements for supply chain practices such as conflict minerals and timber disclosures.
Companies have also seen the necessity of improving the sustainability of their suppliers to avoid reputation damage and regulation costs. In 2020, fashion company Boohoo was criticised and forced to change board members after reports uncovered poor working conditions and underpayment of wages (4). Meanwhile, other fashion companies such as Adidas and H&M were placed in a difficult situation after human rights violations were found in China Xinjiang’s cotton industry (5) (6). To demonstrate corporate sustainability commitment, companies began to launch ESG targets and initiatives. Global hotels chain Hilton incorporated social and environmental criteria into supplier registration and inquiry processes (7). On the other hand, pharmaceuticals company Novartis announced a target for full carbon neutrality across all company operations and entire supply chain by 2030 (8).
However, simply establishing environmental and social requirements for suppliers to comply with might not be a viable solution, as some suppliers may not even have the expertise or resources to comply with the requirements. In ‘How Lawyers are Cleaning Up Supply Chains’, Veronica Villena, an assistant professor of supply chain and information systems at Pennsylvania State University’s Smeal College of Business, explained that “most of these suppliers are located in developing countries” and do not even have chief sustainability officers (9). Additionally, suppliers, especially lower-tier ones that do not have direct contractual relationships with the corporations, may not have incentives or pressure to adhere to sustainability standards. Thus the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that suppliers are committed to environmental and fair labor practices should not fall on suppliers alone. Corporations, who are the ultimate benefitters of having suppliers dedicated to environmental and labour protection, should also share the burden and aid supply networks in reaching sustainability standards.
There are many beneficial measures corporations can adopt to promote suppliers’ social and environmental responsibility. In ‘A More Sustainable Supply Chain’, Veronica Villena and Dennis Giola recommended multinational corporations to establish “long-term sustainability goals”, require “first-tier suppliers to set their own long-term sustainability goals”, include “lower-tier suppliers in the overall sustainability strategy”, and task a point person with “extending the firm’s sustainability program to first and lower-tier suppliers” (10). These steps would send a strong message to suppliers that environmental, social, and governance requirements are crucial.
Ultimately, the duty of enforcing sustainable practices in supply chains cannot be solely placed on suppliers. To achieve positive environmental and social impacts, cooperation between governments, corporations, and suppliers is essential.


text:
UK: Debenhams to ramp up UK manufacturing
Debenhams plans to increase its use of British manufacturers in a move which it claims will bolster domestic production and help revitalise the UK clothing industry.
The department store operator said it will stock more clothing and homeware made exclusively in the UK as part of its new Made by Great Britons label.
Group trading director Suzanne Harlow said: "Speed to market is crucial for us, as our fashion ranges are inspired by the latest catwalk trends. This means we need to turn our designs into production as quickly as possible.
"It makes sense for us to use manufacturers nearer to home whenever we can, rather than shipping in products from the other side of the world."
Debenhams uses manufacturers all over the world, including the Far East, Asia, Africa and Europe and works with British designers including Julien Macdonald, Henry Holland, Jenny Packham, Matthew Williamson and Jasper Conran.
Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Vince Cable also sees potential for the UK textile manufacturing sector to grow.
"There is a growing momentum behind bringing back substantial parts of the textile industry to the UK. It was an industry that almost died in Britain, although there are some high-quality specialist firms that have survived.
"I am now picking up that the economics of the industry are changing, and very much welcome the initiatives of the big retailers to start sourcing in the UK where possible," Cable said.
An interactive databank with intelligence on the major apparel sourcing countries
Despite booking a 9% rise in full-year underlying pre-tax profit, UK fashion retailer Next Plc was forced to admit that it had suffered a slow start to the new year. Here is a flavour of what leading ...
UK department store operator Debenhams recorded a dip in profits after bad weather hit trading, but said it expects improvement in the second half. ...
As part of efforts to grow its men's wear business, UK department store operator Debenhams has signed E Tautz and Norton & Sons designer Patrick Grant as its latest Designer at Debenhams collaborator....
- How apparel retailers should react to Brexit
- US fashion firms share their sourcing strategies
- Britain votes for Brexit – what happens next?
- Retailers warned of high volatility in Brexit wake
- Brexit uncertainty over pending EU trade deals
- Online fabric platform to "revolutionise" buying
- Alliance cuts ties with three more factories
- Uniqlo said to be scaling back US expansion
- Better Work Vietnam launches labour law mobile app
- UK must act with urgency to cut Brexit uncertainty
- Southeast Asia strategic sourcing review – a focus on Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar
- Primark Stores Limited: Retailing - Company Profile & SWOT Analysis
- Clothing & Footwear Retailing in Indonesia– Market Summary & Forecasts
- Clothing & Footwear Retailing in Denmark
- Clothing & Footwear Retailing in China – Market Summary & Forecasts


text:
The adoption of EMV technology is a topic that will be making a lot of headlines over the coming months and years. MasterCard and Visa have laid out several deadlines that span from April 19 this year to October 2015 and the payment, banking and ATM industries to name a few, are starting to worry.
In a recent ATM Marketplace article, Mark Smith - the vice president of an Kahuna Financial Solutions - examined the current state of EMV adoption across the entire payment industry and his findings can help merchants breathe a sigh of relief. According to Smith, EMV migration has already started in the U.S. and many institutions that support international travelers have the technology in use. On top of that, ATM providers have incorporated the system into machines in Canada and overseas.
The first widespread shoe to drop in the U.S. will be retail card transactions. This is why merchants need to start considering deploying EMV today.
"Since POS devices are first to be affected by the EMV timelines, we've begun to see larger retail chains deploying card terminals that support EMV," wrote Smith. "They are preparing well in advance and are already using some of the advanced features of their new systems to address customer loyalty. Today, they accept traditional payment modes, but these payment devices are also ready for chip cards and mobile wallets."
There is still time before EMV adoption becomes a mandatory requirement for merchants that want to accept credit card payments. However, waiting too long can make it much harder to roll out successfully as many other merchants are also doing the same thing and supply cannot keep up with demand.


text:
Appetites Return to Food Processing
28 May, 2014
By Mark Kleszczewski
Food processing and agriculture rebound.
Like most sectors of the economy, the multibillion dollar food industry took a significant hit in 2008-09, but new technology, shifting consumer tastes and rebounding global demand are driving food processing and agricultural businesses to new heights of activity in clusters all across North America.
Although food companies and communities must navigate many evolving trends — from sustainability and food safety reform to the growth of overseas markets and heightening demand for specialty foods — protecting farmland and investing in food innovation are yielding definite benefits in the fragmented, but massive sector.
Appetites Bounce Back
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), agriculture and its related industries contributed $775.8 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product in 2012, a 4.8 percent share, with American farm output contributing $166.9 billion of this sum.
Despite drought conditions and volatility in commodity prices in recent years, the industry is expected to benefit from an increasing supply of resources and investments to farmers and producers, noted analyst Antal Neville in a recent IBISWorld industry report.
On the demand side, rebounding consumer income and spending are driving particularly strong growth in value-added products and niche segments. The USDA and industry analysts estimate that U.S. organic food sales were $28 billion in 2012 (over 4 percent of total at-home food sales), up 11 percent from 2011, while the Specialty Food Association Inc. reports that the specialty food industry is booming, with record-breaking sales of $88.3 billion in 2013.
With its strong supply of raw materials, proximity to major consumer markets and presence of international companies like Hershey Foods Corp. and H. J. Heinz Co., Pennsylvania continues to lead in produce and manufactured food products, shipping $32 billion of food and $4.1 billion in beverages annually. Pennsylvania’s 2,300 food processing companies rank first in the value of shipments of canned fruit and vegetable specialty goods, and snack food and confectionery products which generate more than $5.1 billion in yearly sales.
The commonwealth’s ongoing success in the industry is based upon several factors, explains Lela Reichart, director at the Bureau of Marketing & Economic Development, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. “We’ve got a diverse climate and access to excellent distribution and transportation corridors, supported by a long-standing tradition of family farming and one of the best farmland preservation programs in the nation.”
Major food and beverage companies in particular are thriving in the commonwealth’s Lehigh Valley, which offers access to abundant, high-quality water, a wide assortment of farm inputs and an entire supply chain of packaging, storage and distribution connected to East Coast markets.
“Food is already an existing cluster in the Valley, but it’s one of the four main industries we’re targeting for further growth,” says Jarrett Witt, vice president of economic development, Lehigh Valley (Pa.) Economic Development. “There are some big names here like Coca-Cola, Nestle Waters, Boston Beer, Kellogg’s and Kraft Foods, yet we’ve also got specialty producers like Freshpet and Just Born.”
Recent success stories Witt points to are Bimbo Bakeries USA, which just opened a $75 million bakery in Upper Macungie Township, and Ocean Spray, which relocated from New Jersey and completed the largest beverage hub in the company’s network in late April. Once fully operational, the facility will make more than 30 million cases of beverages, about 40 percent of Ocean Spray’s North American annual volume.
In addition to good infrastructure and competitive cost structures, both companies, Witt says, were attracted to the cluster’s deep pool of well-educated machine operators, line technicians and technologists experienced in food technology and processing.
Dubbed America’s most diverse food basket, Idaho’s “Magic Valley” ranks in the state’s top four in 19 different food/ag categories and in the top 13 nationally in 16 categories. In addition to high-quality natural resources and a plentiful agricultural workforce, the region offers food companies the infrastructure to process, package and transport agriculture products.
Another powerhouse in the food sector is centered on southern Idaho. The region has secured a record-setting seven projects in 10 months, including new investments from food giants Chobani, Monsanto, Clif Bar and Frulact Group, as well as expansions of Glanbia Foods, McCain Foods and Calva/Brewster. These projects are expected to generate 5,000 new jobs with a combined investment of over $773 million.
“We’ve always been a very diversified food-based economy, but for our region to open or announce these many projects in such a short timeframe is pretty phenomenal. We’ve shattered all previous business records,” says Jan Rogers, executive director, Southern Idaho Economic Development Organization (SIEDO). “After deciding to go all in on food, we’re now becoming the country’s epicenter for food science, production and processing.”
Dubbed America’s most diverse food basket, the region’s “Magic Valley” ranks in the state’s top four in 19 different food/ag categories and in the top 13 nationally in 16 categories. In addition to high-quality natural resources and a plentiful agricultural workforce, the region offers food companies the infrastructure to process, package and transport agriculture products.
In the mid-Atlantic, close cooperation with the private sector in Caldwell County is helping make North Carolina one of the country’s top food-producing states. Food processors there can take advantage of several resources: low power, utility, labor and transport costs, numerous trucking carriers that connect abundant food suppliers to regional markets, and institutions which include NC State University’s Food, Bioprocessing & Nutrition Sciences program and the E3 sustainable manufacturing collaboration with NCSU.
“There is a pro-business attitude here that goes well beyond the sales pitch,” says Scott Hardiman, vice president and general manager, Vantage Foods Inc. “For example, when we were faced with an upgrade to our fire protection water line, the city, county and state collaborated to extend nearly a mile of water line at no cost to us.”
Moving over to Michigan, automotive manufacturing still holds sway, but agriculture and food actually comprise the state’s second-largest industry, earning a record $6.4 billion in cash receipts in 2010 alone. One of the state’s most active areas in the sector is in Macomb County where a solid network of roads and distribution facilities support the sale and export of Michigan food products.
“We’re really on the move with food in Macomb,” says Jack Johns, senior economic development specialist, Macomb County (Mich.) Department of Planning & Economic Development. “Agriculture and food processing have been growing quickly here, especially in the northern end of the county which has a lot of available space and very reasonably priced land.”
Besides an extensive multimodal network and 24-hour airport cargo service, Gray says that the Leduc-Nisku, Alberta region’s growth in the highly-competitive global food market is also being accelerated by an increasing emphasis on research and innovation. Companies can access the Agrivalue Processing Business Incubator, which assists established food manufacturers in new product/process development, refinement, testing and manufacturing.
“Since we’re positioned between two border crossings, facilities here can get trucks into Canada within with 30 minutes,” adds Stephen Cassin, director, Macomb County (Mich.) Department of Planning & Economic Development. “That’s one of the reasons why a lot of agricultural products are made in Macomb County and why we’re seeing companies looking to locate here.”
On the other side of the border, western Canada’s agricultural heartland is also benefitting from growing demand and access to international markets, with Alberta’s International Region —which represents 20 percent of Canadian agri-food exports — concentrated on meat, fish and seafood, and cereal products.
Though long a prominent industrial and energy hub, the province’s food processing, food service and beverage industries now generate in excess of $10 billion in value of shipments which are expected to increase next year.
“Food production, engineering and processing are definitely a growing industry for us,” says Krystal Gray, marketing and communication manager, Leduc-Nisku (Alberta) Economic Development Association. “A key driver is demand in markets like Japan and the liberalization of trade agreements such as the CETA pact with the European Union.”
Besides an extensive multimodal network and 24-hour airport cargo service, Gray says that the region’s growth in the highly-competitive global food market is also being accelerated by an increasing emphasis on research and innovation. Companies can access the Agrivalue Processing Business Incubator, which assists established food manufacturers in new product/process development, refinement, testing and manufacturing, and the Leduc Food Processing Development Centre which features a modern pilot plant and product development laboratory facility, staffed with experienced food scientists, engineers and technologists.
Attitude Makes the Difference
As the consumption and production of food becomes more global and sophisticated, challenges are increasing, but so are opportunities. To take advantage of them, proper incentives and physical assets are critical, but responsiveness to changes in the marketplace and a sense of stewardship are proving to be even more important.
“We see the worldwide demand for Pennsylvania’s food products increasing, so we stand ready to help the next generation jump on the opportunity in the global marketplace,” Reichart says. “Besides changes at the policy level — like the elimination of the inheritance tax on family farms — one of the main advantages we have, and why our agricultural and food products continue to be highly regarded, is the sense of pride and dedication that our farmers, producers and food companies have in their work.”
“Although you have to offer really solid business solutions, it’s not just about the money or ‘the deal’ anymore, especially as we transition more into natural foods,” says Idaho’s Rogers. “Companies are looking to locate their operations in communities and regions with a local culture that are a good fit for their company, and with similar goals, like sustainability. We offer a commitment to food and a sense of place that’s become very important in the decision-making process. It’s a big reason why as a food cluster, we’re going to continue to grow and expand.”
For complete details on the organizations featured in this article, visit:
Illustration by Carlos Porto at Free Digital Photos.net


text:
Steve Jobs admitted that Apple launched its MobileMe web service prematurely. Downtime and unhappy customers plagued the bug-ridden service immediately after Apple unveiled it last month.
Ars Technica reports from an internal email Jobs sent to employees, describing how Apple jumped the gun and released a product that simply wasn't ready:
Steve Jobs admitted that MobileMe was launched too early and "not up to Apple's standards." The e-mail, seen by Ars Technica, acknowledges MobileMe's flaws and what could have been done to better handle the launch. In addition to needing more time and testing, Jobs believes that Apple should have rolled MobileMe's services out slowly instead of launching it "as a monolithic service." For example, over-the-air iPhone syncing could have gone up initially, then web apps one by one (Mail, Calendar, etc.).
Jobs goes on. "It was a mistake to launch MobileMe at the same time as iPhone 3G, iPhone 2.0 software and the App Store," he says. "We all had more than enough to do, and MobileMe could have been delayed without consequence."
Despite MobileMe's pretty face, it remains a specialized web service with paying customers who expect high reliability and availability. Apple should now implement a status reporting system, such as that employed by Salesforce.com and Amazon web services.
Here's a screen capture from Amazon's status site:
While cute user interfaces and pretty fonts are nice, they're not enough to satisfy the needs of paying customers.
[Image from Bert Palmer]


text:
Table game supplier TCS John Huxley announced that the state of Delaware has granted the company a gaming vendor license. The company will supply tables for the state’s newly legalized table games, expected to be up and running before fall.
According to the company, the approval has already lead to “substantial orders” to supply table games and accessories for blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, Texas hold ’em poker and various specialty poker games. Additionally, the company has received a number of orders for its Saturn roulette wheels, “Chipper Champ 2” chip-sorting machines and “e-FX Insignia” number displays for roulette.
“The Delaware Lottery has responded swiftly in issuing our license, guaranteeing no time is wasted with table games being installed on the casino gaming floor,” said Roger Hawkins, TCS John Huxley’s CEO for the Americas. “We are very excited to have the opportunity to work with the Delaware casinos, and our extensive knowledge and experience as well as excellent infrastructure ensure we are well-placed to deliver products and services that are key.”


text:
Samsung Unveils RE:Shakespeare App, an Encounter of Digital and LiteratureShare open/close
Samsung Electronics has unveiled RE:Shakespeare, an app that enables users to study and experience Britain’s most celebrated playwright’s classic work, Much Ado About Nothing, on their mobile devices.
RE:Shakespeare engages users with several types of content. These include interactive games using popular lines from the play, a virtual reality version of Much Ado About Nothing, where users can watch a scene from the play in a 360-degree experience, and short lecture clips on Shakespearean drama.
Samsung partnered with The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) to create realistic and immersive content. With RE:Shakespeare, the RSC has successfully reproduced the classic play into mobile content that contains modern and entertaining elements.
A number of well-known British actors, including David Tennant, who hosted the app, showed their commitment to make Shakespeare more engaging for pupils.
“Shakespeare’s works are not only a great British treasure, they have also had a huge influence on literature around the world,” said Won-Pyo Hong, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Samsung Electronics. “That is why we launched this campaign: to use technology to help preserve the world’s cultural heritage, and at the same time inspire our customers by combining digital technology and classic literature.”
From next month, Samsung and RSC will launch the RE:Shakespeare programs by encouraging young people between the ages of 11 and 18 in the United Kingdom to download the app. This will provide a digital learning experience to boost students’ interest and engagement in Shakespeare’s plays.
RE:Shakespeare is part of the Pride Rediscovery program that Samsung adopted earlier this year. The program is comprised of activities that aim to revitalize national pride by championing outstanding literary works from each region. Samsung plans to build on the momentum from RE:Shakespeare by expanding similar programs, in order to give teenagers from around the world the opportunity to look back on their cultural heritage and history through digital devices.
The app is available through Google Play.
ESG > Citizenship


text:
by Clifford Lee When Kettle Cycles’ launched their Kickstarter project with the goal of creating a carbon-ceramic composite disc brake…
Tag archive for ‘components’
We’d heard rumors a while back about legendary Italian component manufacturer Campagnolo coming out with a gruppo specifically for cyclocross and have seen early photos but had been sworn to secrecy. Now, the first signs “of” that lineup are public in the form of the CX Power-Torque cranksets. Campagnolo purists or mix-and-match fans (see our revolutionary Perfect Cyclocross Shift article in Issue 9 and our popular online article on using Campy shifters with Shimano drivetrains) have another drivetrain component option that allows smaller chainrings. Presumably other components will accompany the crankset shortly, and we’ve already seen info about three cyclocross-specific aluminum clincher wheelsets coming to market soon.


text:
Nearly every day there’s another story about a fight breaking out over the wearing of masks.
Just a couple days ago, a Starbucks barista in California was allegedly punched in the face for asking the customer to put a mask on. And a couple weeks ago, a New York man allegedly assaulted a manager and bartender after being asked to put on a face mask to comply with their COVID-19 safety protocols.
The confrontations have turned deadly. A security guard at a Family Dollar store in Michigan was shot dead in May after he told a customer to wear a mask.
Now, a bunch of big stores are deciding the fight just isn’t worth it.
Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, CVS, and Walgreens, along with other nationwide retailers, say they’ll serve customers even if they violate mask mandates, according to CNN. The retailers simply want to avoid confrontations between angry customers and employees.
Many states have mandated the wearing of masks, but some have loopholes. Virginia, for example, has a statewide order for residents to wear them, but people with medical issues do not have to comply — and retailers are not allowed to ask people why they aren’t wearing a mask or demand to see proof that they actually have a medical issue.
“Walmart, the largest retailer in the country, said it would station employees it calls health ambassadors at the entrance of stores to remind shoppers about mask compliance as they enter,” CNN reported.
If a customer refuses to wear a mask, health ambassadors are instructed to let the customer into the store and notify management “so that they can determine the next steps.”
In talking points for Walmart ambassadors and management, a member of management is instructed to ask if the customer would like a complimentary mask. If the customer refuses, “let them continue to shop,” the talking points say. The video tells ambassadors never to engage with a customer physically or try to block their entrance into the store. “With every requirement there are exceptions that have been established to avoid escalating the situation and putting our associates in harm’s way,” a Walmart representative said. “Our goal is to keep associates from a physical confrontation in the stores.”
The debate over masks has raged for weeks, with some liberals demanding everyone don one while some conservatives find the orders intrusive. Social media exploded last week when Dr. Anthony Fauci, an immunologist and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases who serves on the White House Coronavirus Task Force, was seen with his mask down while sitting shoulder to shoulder with two people after having thrown out the first pitch at a Major League Baseball game.
“When he thinks the cameras are off, Fauci makes a mockery of his ‘social distancing’ recommendations and proceeds to brush off his own advocacy,” wrote Jordan Schachtel.
When he thinks the cameras are off, Fauci makes a mockery of his "social distancing" recommendations and proceeds to brush off his own mask advocacy.
"Do as I say, not as I do"
h/t @Ronald_Spitzer pic.twitter.com/zeBHLjlZST
— Jordan Schachtel @ dossier.substack.com (@JordanSchachtel) July 24, 2020


text:
Multinationals like coffee chain Starbucks (SBUX.O) and online retailer Amazon (AMZN.O) pay less tax in Austria than one of the country's tiny sausage stands, the republic's center-left chancellor lamented in an interview published on Friday.
Apple could be ordered to pay billions of euros in back taxes in the Republic of Ireland by European Union competition officials.
Better than an Oscar? On Thursday, Janua
Opel/Vauxhall said its GT Concept that w
Marriott Hotels announced the opening of
Germany's Angelique Kerber stunned world
Speed of reaction to social media trends
Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic h
RIO DE JANEIRO For 9.81 glorious seconds
Airbnb is in the middle of a legal battl


text:
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah supports demand for GST exemption on rural goods
His letter comes just a day after former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, his mentor-turned-foe, strongly expressed support for the demand made by an agitation of the GSSspearheaded by theatre person and activist Prasanna.
Durables shrug off slow start to log dhamaka sales in festive season
Top cos like Sony, LG, Panasonic said sales rose during Dussehra in Sept...
Karnataka CM urges Centre to exempt handmade products from GST
Siddaramaiah said that noted theatre activist Prasanna had undertaken a 'satya...
Buy Rural Electrification Corporation, target Rs 167: Manas Jaiswal
Buy Rural Electrification Corporation at a price target of Rs 167 and a stop loss at Rs 155 from entry point.
Top brokerages betting on these sectors for good show in Samvat 2074
Some brokerages believe the chemicals and textile sectors will perform in Samvat 2074.
Jan Dhan accounts keep villagers sober, slow rural inflation: Study
“We observed that there is both statistically significant and economically meaningful drop in consumption of intoxicants such as alcohol and tobacco products in states where more PMJDY accounts were opened,” a study suggests. This may have also slowed inflation in rural areas.
GM India’s Hardeep Singh Brar set to join Volkswagen as head of sales
For Brar, it’ll be a second stint at Volkswagen India, having worked for the German company between 2012 and 2015 as head of network development.
GST, Demonetisation continue to haunt rural markets: HUL
The company showed resilience in performance, reporting 8 per cent and 6 per cent growth in the past two quarters.
Bajaj Auto, Axis Bank, Wipro shares mixed ahead of Q2 numbers
Private lender Axis Bank is likely to report muted earnings for September quarter on account of a rise in provisions.
Demand for gold jewellery falls around 30% in run-up to Diwali
Demand for the yellow metal in India, as indicated by the World Gold Council, will range between 650 and 750 tonne this year.
China's GDP rose to USD 12.1 trillion in last five years: Xi
China has maintained its position as the world's second largest economy and contributed more than 30 per cent of global economic growth, Xi said.
Ultratech Cement Q2 profit falls 31% on higher costs
Net profit decline by 31% from Rs 614 crore last year to Rs 423 crore this year in the same quarter.
Bajaj Auto Q2 results on Tuesday; key things to watch out for
Auto sector may benefit from normal monsoon and early festive season in the second quarter.
Top intraday trading ideas for afternoon trade for Wednesday, 18 October 2017
NCC is a 'Buy' call with a target price of Rs 97 and a stop loss of Rs 91.
Top stocks in focus on 17 October 2017
Here is a list of top stocks that are likely to be in focus in today's trading session.


text:
- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
Nikon executive says Albany nanocollege is key for computer chip transition
Nikon Precision Inc.’s executive vice president Hamid Zarringhalam said computer chip manufacturing requires an anchor such as the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering in Albany, NY, to effectively transition the industry for more advanced technology.
The California-based branch is a subsidiary of Nikon Corp., which focuses on support for photolithography systems, a form of patterning using light, in the semiconductor industry.
“The engine behind the industry and what enables everything is the ability to double the functionality of transistors,” Zarringhalam said. “That is what has been behind this revolution for the past several years.”
Nikon Corp. will be joining the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering along with its other member companies in the Global 450 Consortium, which is targeting next-generation computer chip technology on larger 450mm silicon wafers.
Computer chips are currently etched on 300mm wafers. The consortium in Albany is working to transition the global industry to 450mm wafers to accommodate more computer chips and drive down production costs. Member companies include IBM, Intel, GlobalFoundries, Samsung and TSMC.
Zarringhalam said that every 10 years or so the industry experiences a shift in wafer size to hold more computer chips on each wafer and get a cost reduction. He said the last transition was not very smooth because the companies worked individually.
“The last time this happened it was very messy because the industry was not well fit together,” he said. “Now we have the 450 consortium with the big chip companies in the industry coming together to concentrate on efforts to bring this wafer size transition into reality in the most optical time frame and lowest cost.”
Viccaro covers state government and technology.
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
- Most popular
- Feds say Sysco-US Foods merger would hurt Albany restaurants, hotels
- BurgerFi franchise bringing together Angelo Mazzone, Lia Auto
- These companies won major New York state contracts
- Afrim's latest indoor sports investment cost $2.5 million
- Renowned sculptor's studio could become downtown apartments
- Labor department approves wage increase for tipped workers
- Historic Cannon Building in downtown Troy loses potential buyer
- California marijuana company targets New York market
- Q&A: Marijuana CEO on why New York's cannabis industry far from
- IT firm Tailwind Associates' founder Robert Quick dies
Justices of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Surrogate's & the Court of Claims New York State Judicial Screening Committee | New York State
ESR - 306 - Operations Supervisor 3 O'Brien & Gere Engineers | Albany, NY
LPN/Licensed Practical Nurse Conifer Park | Schenectady, NY
NCLEX Nursing Instructor - Utica, NY Kaplan Test Prep | Utica, NY
Branch Manager Trainee Hertz | Schenectady, NY


text:
Monster Beverage Sued by San Francisco Over MarketingKaren Gullo
Monster Beverage Corp. was sued by San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera, who made good on recent warnings to take legal action against the energy-drink maker for allegedly improper marketing to minors.
The lawsuit, which Herrera said was filed in state court in San Francisco, came the week after Monster sued Herrera in a Southern California federal court, claiming his investigations of the company and threat to sue violate free-speech rights and attempt to improperly regulate the caffeine content of its products.
Herrera said his office had been working with Monster in good faith to negotiate voluntary changes to its youth-targeted marketing practices when the Corona, California-based drink maker abruptly sued April 29.
“Monster Energy is unique among energy drink makers for the extent to which it targets children and youth in its marketing, despite the known risks its products pose to young people’s health and safety,” Herrera said yesterday in an e-mail. As the industry’s worst-offender, Monster Energy should reform its irresponsible and illegal marketing practices before they’re forced to by regulators or courts.’’
The lawsuit’s allegations are “demonstrably false” and Monster has repeatedly said that it doesn’t market to children, said Michael Sitrick, a Monster spokesman who works for Sitrick & Co. in Los Angeles.
“The FDA has never disputed that the ingredients in our energy drinks are GRAS (General Recognized as Safe),” Sitrick said in an e-mail. “Nor have they disputed that our drinks are properly labeled.”
In his complaint, Herrera alleged Monster’s business and marketing practices violate California’s unfair competition and food and drug laws and seeks a court order blocking the conduct and fining the company. The filing couldn’t immediately be confirmed independently in court records.
Monster said its drinks have less than half the caffeine per ounce of coffeehouse-brewed coffee. The company said that it exceeds U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements by stating on Monster Energy cans the amount of caffeine per eight ounces and per can and that its labels have included cautions for children, pregnant women and caffeine-sensitive people for more than a decade.
The FDA said in November it’s investigating whether energy drinks may cause harm when consumed in excess or by young people or those with pre-existing heart conditions. The agency may move to regulate the drinks’ use or labeling.
The case is California v. Monster, California Superior Court (San Francisco).


text:
Each year, Mobile Marketer Magazine selects an exclusive group of women to represent what they see as the future of mobile marketing – Mobile Marketer’s Mobile Women to Watch 2013.
Coming from companies like Coca-Cola and Google, the prestigious list includes individuals who view mobile not as simply a new technology, but as a greater shift in how consumers engage with businesses and interact with the world around them.
We’re proud to announce that Cars.com’s Senior Director of Mobile, Sharon Knitter, was selected to be part of this year’s list.
Since Cars.com was the first online automotive marketplace to launch a mobile site in 2007, Sharon has worked to establish Cars.com as the leading mobile destination for in-market car shoppers.
“I am proud that we have continued to evolve and be at the forefront in mobile since 2007,” said Knitter. “A successful mobile strategy has to take a long-term approach and continue to change and develop as devices and consumers embrace the technology.”
Looking forward to 2013, Knitter and her team seek to better understand cross-device usage and develop seamless integration between desktop and mobile experiences for car shoppers.
“It’s much more about time, place and screen size than about mobile,” said Knitter, suggesting that consumer behavior varies depending on circumstance and device type. “For example, we’re seeing our iPhone app users be three times more likely to access a map to a dealership than desktop users, indicating that we need to be thinking about conversion differently in how we report on dealer performance.”
Knitter’s perspective reinforces the 2012 Cars.com Nielsen study that suggests both growing adoption and device-specific behaviors related to mobile. In fact, mobile traffic accounts for roughly 30% of all of Cars.com website activity – a number that will likely rise in the coming year.
Mobile Marketer’s annual list helps highlight the contributions of the individuals on it, while also setting the stage for more women to influence the mobile landscape.
“Perhaps seven to 10 years ago, mobile was seen as more of a technological industry, and those industries tend to be more male than female,” said Knitter. “As we see mobile continue to grow, the opportunities for women and the attractiveness of these opportunities to women will also grow.”
Please join us in congratulating Sharon on this outstanding achievement.
Click here to download Mobile Marketer’s Women to Watch of 2013.
Follow Sharon on Twitter @SKnitter